the announcement of his victory would be all the more
impressive, coming unexpectedly. To himself he did not admit the
possibility of defeat. He had braced himself up for the ordeal, and he
refused to acknowledge to himself that he might not come out of it
well. Besides, Joe Bevan continued to express hopeful opinions.

"Just you keep your head, sir," he said, "and you'll win. Lots of these
gentlemen, they're champions when they're practising, and you'd think
nothing wouldn't stop them when they get into the ring. But they get
wild directly they begin, and forget everything they've been taught,
and where are they then? Why, on the floor, waiting for the referee to
count them out."

This picture might have encouraged Sheen more if he had not reflected
that he was just as likely to fall into this error as were his
opponents.

"What you want to remember is to keep that guard up. Nothing can beat
that. And push out your left straight. The straight left rules the
boxing world. And be earnest about it. Be as friendly as you like
afterwards, but while you're in the ring say to yourself, 'Well, it's
you or me', and don't be too kind."

"I wish you could come down to second me, Joe," said Sheen.

"I'll have a jolly good try, sir," said Joe Bevan. "Let me see. You'll
be going down the night before--I can't come down then, but I'll try
and manage it by an early train on the day."

"How about Francis?"

"Oh, Francis can look after himself for one day. He's not the sort of
boy to run wild if he's left alone for a few hours."

"Then you think you can manage it?"

"Yes, sir. If I'm not there for your first fight, I shall come in time
to second you in the final."

"If I get there," said Sheen.

"Good seconding's half the battle. These soldiers they give you at
Aldershot--well, they don't know the business, as the saying is. They
don't look after their man, not like I could. I saw young
what's-his-name, of Rugby--Stevens: he was beaten in the final by a
gentleman from Harrow--I saw him fight there a couple of years ago.
After the first round he was leading--not by much, but still, he was a
point or two ahead. Well! He went to his corner and his seconds sent
him up for the next round in the same state he'd got there in. They
hadn't done a thing to him. Why, if I'd been in his corner I'd have
taken him and sponged him and sent him up again as fresh as he could
be. You must have a good second if you're to win. When you're al